>>>"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." -- Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugral Address
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>>Barack Oboma's affinity for Lincoln could not be more clear. He declared his candidacy in Springfield on a cold day in February two years ago, a day much like today. I grabbed my daughters on their way to the refrigerator and got them to watch his speech with me. I said he is going to be our next president. They said I was nuts.
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>>It's a heck of a position he has won. Things could not be more screwed up. But I continue to believe in him. He inspires faith, and faith can move mountains.
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>>It's also telling that he refers back to Lincoln and not to a black leader like Martin Luther King. He will be remembered as America's first black president, but that doesn't really capture him. As his predecessor said, falsely, he is a uniter, not a divider.
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>>Call me a goofy idealist but I think he can lead us out of the darkness.
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>I'm hopeful, too (not surprisingly). Did you listen to the speeches from Saturday? I watched the one here in Philly. I really liked the images about working to perfect our union. It reminded very much of a Jewish idea that also resonates for me. We have a concept called "tikkun olam," repairing the world. The idea is that things need to be fixed and while you don't have to do the whole job, you do have to work at it. I got that same sense from the speech.
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>Tamar

He's made quite a few speeches about responsibility and sacrifice for every citizen. No one quite knows yet who will do the sacrificing and who will take responsibility. I think many think it's 'the other guy.' Still, this is a very exciting time to say the least. My greatest hopes for this term are not necessarily with the economy (as crucial as that is), but rather with international relations. As to the economy, I've felt that there is sufficient positive feelings (HOPE) for this President that it might spur the people into a more positive outlook and better actions which may in turn have a ripple effect on the economy. One view is that the more costs the government takes on, the less cost to businesses which frees up capital for hiring and investment. It's a different view and one that won't pan out if he turns around and increases the costs to businesses and collects from the other hand. We'll have to wait and see.

Having written that, I have HUGE hopes for him because one thing is for sure: the amount of experts willing to provide their opinion and his willingness to LISTEN are unprecedented in recent history. If it fails, it won't be for lack of trying or from insufficient expert advice.